Does eating eggs increase bad cholesterol?

The cholesterol in eggs comes from the yolk, but egg yolks also contain lecithin, which can help partially inhibit cholesterol absorption.

Eggs are a healthy food when consumed in moderation.

Eggs are a rich source of nutrients but also cause many concerns about cardiovascular health due to the high cholesterol in the yolk. Dr. Nguyen Quoc Anh, Deputy Head of the Department of Food Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Institute of Nutrition, said that many large-scale studies have shown that high cholesterol levels in the blood, especially LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, avoiding cholesterol in the diet is reasonable.

However, with chicken eggs, Dr. Quoc Anh said, cholesterol in the yolk is about 180 - 200 mg/egg. Recent studies have clarified that egg yolks contain both lecithin and cholesterol, in which lecithin is believed to be able to help partially inhibit cholesterol absorption.

Eggs are a healthy food for healthy people when consumed in moderation.

PHOTO: LIEN CHAU

Furthermore, most of the cholesterol in the body is synthesized by the liver (80%), not from food. The factor that stimulates the liver to produce cholesterol is saturated fat and trans fat in the diet, not cholesterol from food.

A controlled clinical study also showed that eating 2 eggs per day as part of a diet low in saturated fat did not increase LDL cholesterol.

So eggs, with only about 1.5 grams of saturated fat per large egg, are a healthy food for healthy people when consumed in moderation.

Eggs are good, but need to be suitable for each person

Dr. Quoc Anh added that considering whether or not to eat eggs every day for each individual must be based on the overall diet, eating habits, health status and risk factors, and there is no general formula.

For healthy adults without underlying heart, liver, or lipid disorders, studies show that eating one egg per day is safe, as part of a balanced diet.

Some studies have shown a link between high egg consumption and cardiovascular disease risk in people with diabetes. For people at high risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, or high blood cholesterol, egg consumption recommendations are more stringent. Therefore, some nutritional guidelines recommend that this group limit egg consumption to a moderate level of 2-3 eggs per week; control saturated fat intake (mainly from animal foods, some vegetable oils such as palm oil) to less than 13 grams of saturated fat per day; and keep cholesterol intake as low as possible.

For groups with special nutritional needs (children, pregnant women), the World Health Organization recommends that children need a diet with a variety of food groups, which should include meat, fish or eggs every day, because these are important animal food sources that help meet high nutritional needs during the rapid growth period.

Nutritional guidelines from the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health recommend that children aged 12-23 months should consume about 50 grams of eggs per week (equivalent to 1 large egg/week).

For other groups, including older children and pregnant women, the US Dietary Guidelines do not set specific limits on egg consumption. Instead, eggs are considered an option in the "protein foods" group.

The general recommendation is to eat a variety of foods in this group, including lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans, nuts, and soy products.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/an-trung-co-lam-tang-cholesterol-xau-185251123162540687.htm